For ev’ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic

Ev’ry teddy bear who’s been good
Is sure of a treat today
There’s lots of marvelous things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees
Where nobody sees
They’ll hide and seek as long as they please
That’s the way the teddy bears have their picnic

Picnic time for teddy bears
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today
Watch then, catch them unawares
And see them picnic on their holiday

See them gaily gad about
They love to play and shout
They never have any cares

At six o’ clock
Their mummies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
‘Cause they’re tired little teddy bears

If you go down in the woods today
You’d better not go alone
It’s lovely down in the woods today
But safer to stay at home

For ev’ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic*

~~~
*”Teddy Bears’ Picnic” is a song consisting of a melody composed by John Walter Bratton in 1907 and lyrics added by Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy in 1932. It remains popular as a children’s song, having been recorded by numerous artists over the decades. The first vocal version was recorded in 1932 by Henry Hall and His Orchestra (EMI SH 172), with Val Rosing singing Kennedy’s lyrics. We have used the precise transcription of the lyrics from the Henry Hall 1932 rendition.

To hear it click here. Better yet, listen whilst viewing the photos once again, to get into the proper mood for the upcoming holiday.

Frances, how great! We used this song every year when we did “Teddy Bear Math,” with the children. They all brought their teddy bears, lined them up on a graph by color, then height, clothes or no clothes, etc. We then had our picnic on a big blanket with Teddy Grahams with the song playing in the background.

Thanks for the history of the song.

Eileen

Hi Eileen, thanks. That sounds like such a fun lesson for the kids, well done! I remember skipping in a circle to this song in Kindergarten. The teacher would stop the music and we would all fall down. Sort of a less competitive musical chairs game. A pleasant memory. :-)
Frances

I’m very familiar with the Teddy Bears Picnic. I think it must have been the theme song for some children’s program on the radio. You are certainly ready for Halloween. I can’t even think of something to wear to Gourmet Club on saturday.

Hi Pat, thanks for visiting. The song rings in my memory as well. I am thinking you need to go as a vegetable, or maybe a salad for your party. With cherry tomatoes on top! :-)
Frances

This was such a great selection of Halloween images. Poor Yorick. You must have been sad to see him broken. The song was so cute to hear along with the printed words.

I was going to post a 14 second clip of Donovan’s song, “Must be the Season of the Witch” to accompany my graphics, but changed my mind. Being new, I do not know the regulations on music on blogs. Many have players, but I was looking just for the chorus of the song. Does anyone know the rules? Has anyone posted music?

I did click to hear the You Tube song, but it would have been nice in the blog itself. I know you can post You Tube videos in a post, but was not sure on music, sans video.

Hi Donna, thanks. I was crushed when Yorick got knocked off the wall and broke. I may try to make another one sometime and make the jaw thicker. It is very thick now, but he looks like a clown to me. Oh well. As for the music, I don’t know of any rules about it, but always just give a youtube link. Some people don’t want to hear music when they click on a blog post, it can be jarring.
Frances

Thanks Francis. I also do not like music unless I click for it. That is what I wanted on my site, a click if you want button. I did that for my bird calls, then I thought it would be cute with the subtitle. Next thought, was the trouble I could get into if this was not allowed by the very powerful music industry. Fourteen seconds may have been too much. I really did like the teddy bear song. I was not familiar with it, so it was nice to hear.

I am not sure about the sharing of music. I believe the industry is still hammering that out. It would have been cute.

Happy Halloween my dear! I hope you are going to see Little LTB in his costumed wonderfulness! I love the Hop’s ice cream sculpture~marvelous! Makes me want to chant~I scream, You scream, We all Scream for Hop Ice cream on Halloween! xxoogail

Hi Gail, thanks so much. I will be seeing little LTB in his Ben Ten get up. He wears it everyday since we bought it a few weeks ago. I have been eating The Hop’s honey candy corn ice cream that we brought home with us to get into the proper Hallowe’en spirit. :-)
xxxooo
Frances

I sang this children to my children when they were little. Our favorite line was always: “At six o’clock their Mommies and Daddies would come and take them home, because they’re tired little Teddy Bears.”
Your pictures are delightful!

Hi Meredehuit, thanks. It is a great song for kids and adults alike. It transports me to another place and time. :-)
Frances

What a fun post this morning, Frances! I thought perhaps you had a new sculpture in your garden, before I saw the “Hopmobile”–for some reason, I now have a craving for ice cream with sprinkles:) Yorick is looking so much better after his breakdown and going to pieces. You’ve put me in the Halloween spirit!

Hi Rose, thanks. That metal ice cream cone is perfect for his car. He says people wave and smile when he drives by, what a nice thought. Alas poor Yorick, he has turned into a caricature of his former self. I need to make a new one. Happy Hallowe’en! :-)
Frances

I better not go down to your garden today, what with those teddy bears having a picnic, and all those mean looking skeleton heads to scare me! Boo! Happy Halloween!

Hi Carol, thanks for stopping by here, even if you are too skeered to come down to the garden. Alas Poor Yorick is the friendliest face around these parts, with that big goofy smile. He wishes you a Happy Hallowe’en anyway! :-)
Frances

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My name is Frances and I am a lifelong gardener, having lived in various parts of the USA over many years. I am now gardening in USDA Zone 7a east Tennessee. From 2000 to 2014 I was gardening on a slope in a small town in Tennessee. I have been blogging about my gardens since December of 2007. Thank you for visiting!